Volume 32 Spring 2003 Number 2 Disaster at the B&O Railroad Museum resident’s Day 2003 in Baltimore was a date that will live the late 1840s to the early 1900s. The 1848 0-8-0 “Memnon” (a in preservation infamy. In the midst of what turned out particularly rare example of an early heavy freight loco), the 1863 to be an all-time record snowfall for the city, over one- 4-6-0 “Thatcher Perkins,” the 1869 Hayes Camel No. 217, the half of the roof of the B&O Railroad Museum’s landmark 1875 2-6-0 “J. C. Davis,” the 1888 2-8-0 “A. J. Cromwell,” and a “roundhouse” collapsed, sending metal trusses and slate pair of post-Civil War wood passenger cars were among those P smashing down onto the museum’s priceless collection of damaged. 19th-century rolling stock and then covering the mess with snow. Then there was the building itself, a structure that is both spec- Present speculation is that the shifting weight of the snow caused tacular and historically unique. Built in 1884 as a passenger-car one of the radial trusses supporting the roof to buckle, which then shop (and serving that purpose until 1953), the “roundhouse”— caused neighboring trusses to fail in succession. About one-quarter actually a 22-sided polygon—was aptly advertised as a “cathedral of the roof initially collapsed slightly after midnight February 17; of railroading.” Its breathtaking 123-ft. height and 235–ft. diam- this was followed by another quarter early in the morning. eter made it, in the words of some nameless retired Smithsonian It was a double disaster. First, the core of the museum’s collec- engineering curator, “the largest circular industrial structure in tion was heavily damaged—locomotives and cars ranging from the world.” (Maybe not surprisingly, (continued on page 3) Herb Harwood Beams and debris litter the B&O Museum’s locomotives, Feb. 2003. Published by the Society for Industrial Archeology Department of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295 IA in the Lehigh Valley 2002 Fall Tour Review More than 120 SIA members gathered in Allentown, PA, from the aging plant Oct. 16 to 19, 2002, to explore the industrial history of the Lehigh in 1995. We Valley. The tour was hosted by the National Canal Museum in were not dis- Easton, and the conference coordinator was the museum’s curator appointed as and SIA stalwart, Lance Metz. The itinerary featured a mix of we walked process tours and visits to historic sites and museums. For those of amid empty us who had been on the 1988 Fall Tour, it was an opportunity to buildings, revisit some sites, but there was plenty new, and also a chance to see silent Michael Hoyt much progress, especially in the expanded facilities, activities, and machines, and A fire engine was among many fine specimens exhibits at the National Canal Museum. There were four full days land over- examined at the Mack Trucks Museum. of touring; each bus followed a slightly different schedule to the grown with same sites on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday offered two butterfly bush and asters where over 35,000 workers had once toiled. optional tours—coal or canals. We visited the steel foundry where steel ingots were poured for Although Thursday’s tour originally was to have included the heavy forgings, including a 756,000-lb. ingot poured in the 1970s Mack Trucks factory, the company (now owned by Volvo) had for the nuclear industry; the machine shop where naval guns once recently introduced a new environmentally compliant engine, sold were turned and bored; and the powerhouse where blowing engines its stock of old engines, and closed the assembly plant while making once were powered by top gas from the blast furnaces. the transition. We contented ourselves with a tour of the Mack There have been ambitious plans to develop a section of the Trucks Historical Museum commemorating the oldest heavy-truck Bethlehem Plant as a National Museum of Industrial History, but manufacturer in the U.S.—though its first product was a bus. Jack Bethlehem Corp.’s filing for bankruptcy in 2001 and approval of Mack and his brothers bought out the owner of a carriage and wagon purchase by International Steel Group (ISG) in Jan. 2003, have business in Brooklyn in 1900 and moved the factory to Allentown thrown these plans into doubt. At press, the new owners have not in 1905. The Mack reputation was made by the heavy-duty, dual- announced a decision about the disposition of the Bethlehem Plant. wheel, chain-drive “AC” truck built for WWI and nicknamed “the In fact, our SIA group was dismayed to discover that the scrappers bulldog” for its toughness by British soldiers. (This is the source of had already been a bit overzealous in their removal of items desig- the company’s logo.) Mack is now the third-largest truck builder nated to become part of the planned National Museum of Industrial behind Freightliner and Peterbilt. These facts and detailed History. Some artifacts that have been safely stored in anticipation overviews of several vintage Mack trucks and engines on display of the museum include a gun and piece of armor plate from the were shared by retired plant workers now acting as museum guides. U.S.S. Mississippi, and a hydraulic press. The city-backed preserva- A tour of the closed Bethlehem Steel Plant was led by Don Young tion plan would set aside 330,000 sq. ft. for a Smithsonian-affiliated [SIA], a former supervisor. Bethlehem had a reputation for its inno- museum, plus 250,000 sq. ft. for a simulation of the steelmaking vative practices, especially in its early years, and was once the sec- process. Other portions of the site would be used for entertainment, ond-largest steelmaker in the country. Founded as the Bethlehem (continued on page 4) Rolling Mill and Iron Co. in 1860, it was producing the highest- quality railroad rails in the country by 1863. The company was The SIA Newsletter is published quarterly by the Society for Industrial using the Bessemer Archeology. It is sent to SIA members, who also receive the Society’s process to make steel journal, IA, published biannually. The SIA through its publications, and had constructed conferences, tours, and projects encourages the study, interpretation, a unique building to and preservation of historically significant industrial sites, structures, artifacts, and technology. By providing a forum for the discussion and combine steelmaking exchange of information, the Society advances an awareness and and rail rolling by appreciation of the value of preserving our industrial heritage. Annual 1873. A revolution- membership: individual $35; couple $40; full-time student $20; insti- ary rolling mill tutional $50; contributing $75; sustaining $125; corporate $500. For invented by Henry members outside of North America, add $10 surface-mailing fee. Send Grey was installed in check or money order payable in U.S. funds to the Society for 1907-08, allowing Industrial Archeology to SIA-HQ, Dept. of Social Sciences, Michigan the company to pro- Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI duce continuously 49931-1295; (906) 487-1889; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: rolled wide-flange www.sia-web.org. structural steel beams Mailing date for Vol. 32, 2 (Spring 2003), May 2003. If you have not and columns. Like received an issue, apply to SIA-HQ (address above) for a replacement copy. all American steel- The SIA Newsletter welcomes material and correspondence from mem- makers, Bethlehem bers, especially in the form of copy already digested and written! The has faced increased usefulness and timeliness of the newsletter depends on you, the reader, John Reap overseas competition as an important source of information and opinion. in the last several The blast furnaces at Bethlehem Steel. The TO CONTACT THE EDITOR: Patrick Harshbarger, Editor, SIA wide-gauge “Hoover-Mason Line” material- decades, and manage- Newsletter, 305 Rodman Road, Wilmington, DE 19809; (302) 764- supply railway is in the middle ground. ment decided to close 7464; e-mail: [email protected]. 2 Society for Industrial Archeology Newsletter, Vol.32, No. 2, 2003 B&O RAILROAD (continued from page 1) its architect, the versatile and prolific E. Francis Baldwin, did (Museum officials promised that the building’s original structural design churches and a cathedral—along with houses, commercial design will be duplicated, including the roof trusses.) The museum structures, schools, streetcar barns and shops, and numerous large is closed until further notice, and that notice may be a long way off. and small B&O stations.) The roundhouse, along with other build- Its management is optimistic, however, and thus far no employees ings in the museum complex, was designated a National Historic have been laid off. Landmark in 1961. Obviously, much will depend on money. Fortunately the muse- Fortunately, the central supporting structure with its double tier um had adequate insurance coverage, but even so, there will be of cupolas remained intact, and hasty stabilization work prevented some large gaps—particularly in restoration of the equipment and any further collapse. Those smaller exhibits which were unharmed possibly the recovery of lost revenues. Needless to say, both money were removed for storage in other buildings, but the larger loco- (lots of it) and volunteer help are needed. Tax-deductible contri- motives and cars—both damaged and undamaged—will most prob- butions should be made payable and sent to: The Roundhouse ably remain in place until the building restoration is completed. Restoration Fund, c/o Mercantile Bank & Trust Co., 409 At this point it appears that all the damaged locomotives and Washington Ave., Towson, MD 21204.